Memorial site picked for victims of 2011 Seal Beach salon shooting

SEAL BEACH - A memorial honoring victims of a massacre at Salon Meritage nearly two years ago will be anchored at Eisenhower Park near the pier, but $100,000 needs to be raised for the project, officials announced this week.

The park's northern area of Eighth Street was selected for the memorial by a citizens committee, which favored the location because of its view of the beach and pier.

The city began working on the memorial in the aftermath of the worst mass shooting in Orange County history. On Oct. 12, 2011, a gunman stormed the salon at 500 Pacific Coast Highway and shot nine people, killing eight.

A citizens committee was formed to focus on a memorial site, and its goal for the memorial was to identify a spot that provided quiet reflection. The committee, however, rejected a memorial at or near the site of the tragedy.

On Tuesday, Tim Kelsey, the city's recreation manager who's coordinating the effort, said city staff will be soliciting several community organizations for support, along with organizing a fundraiser. Kelsey said the city might also contribute to the memorial.

The proposed memorial will feature a heart-shaped seating wall, but a flag pole has been eliminated from the plan because it would block the view of the coast, according to Kelsey.

The 12-member citizens committee originally considered Eisenhower Park for the site of the memorial, but then shifted its focus toward the First Street Beach area, which is relatively quiet, without the heavy visitor traffic of Eisenhower Park.

The parking lot at First Street Beach -- also known as Wind Surf Park and sometimes as River's End Cafe area -- had recently undergone considerable upgrades and landscaping work.

However, some nearby homeowners complained the proposed memorial at First Street Beach was too close to nearby homes. The state Coastal Commission also concluded it would take up too much sand space.

Initially, the city staff believed the project would not need a Coastal Commission permit; they believed the project could be constructed under an existing permit the city used for the First Street Beach parking lot. But the commission advised the city that a new permit for the memorial was necessary.

As it examined its options, the citizens committee believed that, of the two sites, Eisenhower Park "accomplished more goals," Kelsey said.

"They were more comfortable with Eisenhower Park," he added. "They felt that the site would be more quiet."

Scott Evans Dekraai is charged with eight counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in the mass shooting, and still awaits trial. Eight of the nine gunshot victims were inside the salon, and one victim was shot while sitting in his SUV parked outside the business.

The lone gunshot survivor, Harriet "Hattie" Stretz, 73, of Los Alamitos was getting her hair done by her daughter, Elody, when both women were shot. Stretz was initially in critical condition but made a remarkable recovery.

For those who wish to contribute to the memorial, individual contributions can be mailed to City Hall, 211 Eighth Street, Seal Beach, CA 90740. Make a note on the check that the donation is for the memorial.